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Accessible Color Palette Generator

Pick a base color and generate a full accessible palette. Every combination is tested against WCAG contrast requirements so you can design with confidence.

FreeNo SignupNo Server UploadsZero Tracking
Base Color
Generated Palette
Primary
#3B82F6
Secondary
#513bf6
Accent
#ffb132
Background
#f9fafb
Text
#131820
Muted
#eeeff1
Contrast Pairs
Primary on Background
3.52:1AA Large
Secondary on Background
6.08:1AA
Accent on Background
1.73:1Fail
Text on Background
17.04:1AAA
Black on Primary
5.71:1AA
Check Any Two Colors
on
Sample text preview
Contrast: 17.06:1AAA
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How to Use Accessible Color Palette Generator

  1. 1

    Choose a base color

    Use the color picker or type a hex code to set your primary brand color as the starting point.

  2. 2

    Review the palette

    See the auto-generated palette of primary, secondary, accent, background, text, and muted colors with all contrast pairs tested against WCAG standards.

  3. 3

    Check any pair

    Use the manual color checker to test any two colors. Get contrast ratio, WCAG level, and suggested fixes for failing pairs. Copy the palette as CSS variables.

Frequently Asked Questions

An accessible color palette ensures that all text and background combinations meet WCAG contrast ratio requirements. At minimum, normal text needs a 4.5:1 ratio (AA) and large text needs 3:1. Ideally, text colors should achieve 7:1 against backgrounds for AAA compliance. This generator checks all combinations and shows which level each pair achieves.

When two colors fail to meet WCAG AA contrast requirements, the tool adjusts the foreground color's lightness while preserving its hue and saturation. It finds the nearest color on the same hue that achieves a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against the background, producing the smallest visual change needed for compliance.

Yes. Click the Copy CSS Variables button to copy the entire palette as CSS custom properties in :root format. You can paste these directly into your stylesheet to use the colors throughout your project.

No. All color calculations and palette generation happen entirely in your browser. No data is transmitted to any server.

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Building Accessible Color Systems

Color is one of the most important elements of visual design, but it is also one of the most common sources of accessibility failures. A well-designed color palette does not just look good. It ensures that all users, including those with low vision and color vision deficiencies, can perceive and interact with your content. Building accessibility into your color system from the start is far more efficient than retrofitting it later.

WCAG Contrast Requirements Explained

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines define three tiers of contrast compliance. AA Large Text requires a minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 and applies to text that is at least 18pt (24px) regular or 14pt (18.5px) bold. AA Normal Text requires 4.5:1 for standard-sized text. AAA requires 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. Most regulations reference Level AA as the baseline, but aiming for AAA where possible provides a better experience for all users.

How Color Palettes Are Generated

This tool starts with your chosen base color and generates a harmonious palette using color theory principles. The secondary color is derived by shifting the hue, while the accent uses the complementary hue. Background and text colors are created by adjusting lightness to the extremes while preserving a subtle connection to the base hue. The muted color provides a soft background variant. Every generated combination is automatically tested against WCAG contrast thresholds.

Using the Suggest Fixes Feature

When you test two colors that fail to meet contrast requirements, the tool can suggest the nearest passing alternative. It works by adjusting the lightness of the foreground color while keeping its hue and saturation intact. This produces the minimal visual change needed to achieve compliance, ensuring your brand colors stay as close to the original intent as possible.

Integrating Accessible Colors Into Your Workflow

Copy the generated palette as CSS custom properties and use them throughout your project. Define your colors once and reference them consistently. When building a design system, document which color combinations are approved and their contrast ratios. Consider creating a contrast matrix that shows every foreground-background pair and its compliance level. This generator gives you a strong starting point for that process.